OSI (band)
{{Short description|American progressive rock band}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = OSI
|image =
|caption =
|origin = United States
|genre = Progressive rock
Progressive metal
|years_active = 2002–2012
|label = InsideOut, Metal Blade
|spinoff_of = Dream Theater
Fates Warning
|website = {{URL|osiband.com}}
|current_members = Jim Matheos
Kevin Moore
|past_members = Mike Portnoy
}}
OSI was an American progressive rock band, originally formed by Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos in 2002. Chroma Key keyboardist and vocalist Kevin Moore is the only other full-time member of the band. The collaboration may be considered a studio project, as its members and contributors write and track most of their material independently, sharing and developing tracks long-distance, only coming together at the end of the process for mixing and additional tracking. The band's name is a reference to the Office of Strategic Influence, a short-lived American government agency formed in 2001 to support the War on Terror through propaganda. The band has featured a number of guest musicians on its albums, including Sean Malone, Steven Wilson, Mikael Akerfeldt, Joey Vera and Gavin Harrison.
Matheos recruited Moore, Dream Theater's drummer Mike Portnoy, and Sean Malone (Fretless Bass and Chapman Stickist) to perform on what was originally planned to be a Matheos solo album. Matheos and Portnoy originally planned to produce a progressive metal album similar to Matheos' work in Fates Warning, however Moore's impact changed the music's direction and genre, incorporating electronica into the original progressive metal sound. The band's debut album was released by InsideOut Music in 2003.
OSI was originally intended to be a one-off project, but Matheos and Moore found they both had gaps in their schedules so produced a follow-up. Free was released in 2006, with Portnoy returning to play drums as a session musician rather than a full band member, due to personal and musical differences between him and Moore. Blood was released in 2009, with Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison replacing Portnoy. The fourth album Fire Make Thunder was released in 2012 by Metal Blade Records, with Harrison once again on drums.
History
=Formation and ''Office of Strategic Influence'' (2002–2003)=
{{main|Office of Strategic Influence (album)}}
Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos originally intended to create a progressive metal supergroup while Fates Warning went on hiatus. He recruited Cynic & Gordian Knot fretless bass and Chapman Stickist Sean Malone and Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy to work on the project.{{cite web | last = Portnoy | first = Mike | url = http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/39.aspx | title = mp.faq – OSI | work = Mike Portnoy.com | access-date = January 19, 2010 | archive-date = January 28, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100128074808/http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/39.aspx | url-status = dead }}{{Cite book | last = Wilson | first = Rich | author-link = Rich Wilson (journalist) | title = Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater | publisher = Essential Works | year = 2009 | location = London | pages = 416–423 | isbn = 978-1-906615-02-4}}{{cite web | last = Italiani | first = Igor | url = http://www.progressiveworld.net/html/modules.php?name=Interviews&rop=showcontent&id=90 | title = Hello, Guitarist!: A Discussion On The New Matheos Project (What He Said) | work = ProgressiveWorld.net | access-date = January 19, 2010 }} Matheos then asked Chroma Key and ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore to contribute by adding keyboard arrangements to the music he had written. Moore instead heavily edited the music, changing the song structures and adding vocals.{{cite web|last=Legerton |first=Colin |url=http://www.ytsejam.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=636 |title=Interview with Kevin Moore (O.S.I./Chroma Key) |work=Ytsejam.com |access-date=January 19, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203183545/http://ytsejam.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=636 |archive-date=December 3, 2010 }} Matheos decided to pursue this new direction, sounding closer to Chroma Key than standard progressive metal, over his and Portnoy's original idea.
Many vocalists were considered to perform on the album; Matheos and Portnoy briefly considered having a different vocalist perform on each track. Daniel Gildenlöw of Pain of Salvation wrote some vocal melodies and lyrics, but Moore ultimately performed most of the vocals and wrote most of the lyrics.{{cite web | url = http://www.dreamtheater.net/archive_osi.php#daniel | title = Daniel Gildenlöw comments on Matheos / Portnoy / Moore / Malone project | work = Dream Theater – Official Site | access-date = January 20, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091007023302/http://www.dreamtheater.net/archive_osi.php#daniel | archive-date = October 7, 2009 }} Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree wrote lyrics and performed vocals on one track. Cynic and Gordian Knot bassist Sean Malone performed bass, but was credited as a guest musician because his schedule meant he was unable to join Matheos, Moore and Portnoy for the basic tracking sessions.
Matheos, Moore and Portnoy recorded the album at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, Connecticut from June 2 to 9, 2002.{{cite web | url = http://www.dreamtheater.net/archive_osi.php#llrpix | title = Studio Photos: Jim Matheos, Mike Portnoy, Kevin Moore | work = Dream Theater – Official Site | access-date = February 11, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091007023302/http://www.dreamtheater.net/archive_osi.php#llrpix | archive-date = October 7, 2009 }} Songs with a strong progressive metal influence were mostly written by Matheos, while Moore had greater influence over the vocal-driven tracks. Portnoy made minor arrangement suggestions but did not take part in the actual writing of the album. The album's recording sessions were the first time Moore and Portnoy collaborated since 1994 in their work in Dream Theater. In 2009, Portnoy recalled that he found the experience of making the record difficult, and that he was frustrated by the lack of collaboration between him and Moore.{{cite web | last = McGrath | first = Ken | url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=119588 | title = DREAM THEATER's MIKE PORTNOY: 'Working With KEVIN MOORE Is Just Not Much Fun' | work = Blabbermouth.net | date = May 6, 2009 | access-date = October 31, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090510062914/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=119588 | archive-date = May 10, 2009 }} Differences between Moore and Portnoy led to his return on the follow-up album as a session drummer rather than full-time member.
InsideOut Music released Office of Strategic Influence on February 17, 2003.{{cite web | url = http://www.insideout.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=251&osCsid=055f17a9611b1e71e46fb58e86ab03ac | title = OSI: Office of Strategic Influence | work = InsideOut Music | access-date = February 13, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081118034455/http://www.insideout.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=251&osCsid=8b2ad813e433faf78c756b37aa163e18 | archive-date = November 18, 2008 }} Moore chose the group's name and album's title, referring to the Office of Strategic Influence, established by the US Government after the September 11 attacks to spread propaganda. The album was critically well received. Critics praised the members' musicianship and the fact that the album differed significantly from the members' other projects.{{cite web |last=Gordon |first= Keith A. | url = {{Allmusic|class=album|id=office-of-strategic-influence-r628177/review|pure_url=yes}} | title = OSI — Office of Strategic Influence | work = Allmusic | access-date = January 15, 2010}}{{cite web | last = Sander | first = Ed | url = http://www.dprp.net/reviews/200308.html#osi | title = OSI — Office of Strategic Influence review | work = DPRP | access-date = January 15, 2010}}{{cite web | last = Hash | first = Tommy | url = http://www.prog4you.com/cd-reviews-04-03/OSI-Office_Of_Strategic_Influence.htm | title = OSI — Office of Strategic Influence review | work = Prog4you.com | access-date = January 15, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110715121017/http://www.prog4you.com/cd-reviews-04-03/OSI-Office_Of_Strategic_Influence.htm | archive-date = July 15, 2011 }}{{cite web | last = Bollenberg | first = John | url = http://www.progressiveworld.net/html/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=2905 | title = O.S.I. – Office Of Strategic Influence (Limited Edition) review | work = ProgressiveWorld.net | access-date = January 16, 2010}}
=''Free'' and ''Blood'' (2005–2009)=
{{main|Free (OSI album)|Blood (OSI album)}}
Matheos and Moore did not plan to make a second OSI album, and returned to their own projects after the first album's completion. In 2005, they both had free schedules, so decided to produce a follow-up album. Joey Vera (also of Fates Warning) played bass on the album.{{cite web | last = LaRose | first = Michelle | url = http://phantomphotography.com/I_OSI.html | title = OSI Interview | work = Caustic Truths | access-date = February 27, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110101013726/http://phantomphotography.com/I_OSI.html | archive-date = January 1, 2011 }} Portnoy originally told Matheos and Moore that he did not want to perform drums on the album, but was persuaded to perform on the album as a session musician.
Free was released on April 24, 2006,{{cite web | url = http://www.insideout.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=458 | title = OSI: Free | work = InsideOut Music | access-date = May 7, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081125085634/http://www.insideout.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=458 | archive-date = November 25, 2008 }} receiving generally positive critical reception. Critics noted that the album was darker and more keyboard-focused than the band's debut.{{cite web | last = Mason | first = Stewart | url = {{Allmusic|class=album|id=free-r828674/review|pure_url=yes}} | title = Free | work = Allmusic | access-date = February 27, 2010 }}{{cite web | last = Bower | first = Chad | url = http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/gr/osifree.htm | title = OSI – Free Review | work = About.com | access-date = February 27, 2010 | archive-date = April 22, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090422171152/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/gr/osifree.htm | url-status = dead }} re:free, an EP featuring remixes of three tracks from Free, was released on October 24, 2006.{{cite web| url = {{Allmusic|class=album|id=free-extended-mixes-r861117|pure_url=yes}} | title = Free (Extended Mixes) | work = Allmusic | access-date = April 5, 2010 }} The band were keen to tour in support of Free, but no live shows materialised. "The reality of it is in order to [tour] the way we would like... and present it the way we would want to present it... would cost too much money for the kind of fan base that we have right now," Matheos said in 2009.{{cite web | last = Falina | first = Melanie | url = http://www.nonelouder.com/profiles/blogs/blood-at-the-crossroads-an | title = Blood At The Crossroads – An Interview with Jim Matheos of O.S.I. | work = Nonelouder | date = May 17, 2009 | access-date = September 6, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110816032140/http://nonelouder.com/profiles/blogs/blood-at-the-crossroads-an | archive-date = August 16, 2011 | url-status = dead }} In 2010 he anticipated that OSI will "remain a studio band."{{cite web | url = http://katehizis.com/publications/interview.php?i=fates_warning2010 | title = Интервю с Jim Matheos | work = Metal Katehizis | language = bg | access-date = July 14, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100611015636/http://www.katehizis.com/publications/interview.php?i=fates_warning2010 | archive-date = June 11, 2010 }}
In September 2008, Moore posted an update on the Chroma Key website, stating that he and Matheos had been working on a third OSI album for several months. Portnoy was replaced by Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison and Matheos played bass on the album.{{cite web|last=Moore |first=Kevin |url=http://www.chromakey.com/ |title=OSI III |work=Chroma Key – News |date=September 4, 2008 |access-date=July 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701060835/http://www.chromakey.com/ |archive-date=July 1, 2008 }} Opeth vocalist and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt and No-Man vocalist Tim Bowness wrote lyrics and sang on one track each.{{cite web | last = Perri | first = David | url = http://www.bravewords.com/news/113604 | title = OSI – "Almost Natural Enemies…" | work = Bravewords.com | date = May 14, 2009 | access-date = April 15, 2010 }}{{cite web | last = Marsicano | first = Dan | url = http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/osiinterview.htm | title = OSI Interview: A Conversation With Vocalist/Keyboardist Kevin Moore | work = About.com | date = May 26, 2009 | access-date = April 15, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100510091027/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/osiinterview.htm | archive-date = May 10, 2010 }}
Blood was released on April 27, 2009 in Europe and May 19 in North America.{{cite web | url = http://www.insideout.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=640&osCsid=031b3442cdceb8660441f3773cd0f168 | title = OSI: Blood Special Edition | work = InsideOut Music | access-date = July 14, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090612232854/http://www.insideout.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=640 | archive-date = June 12, 2009 }} The album received positive reviews:{{cite web | last = Henderson | first = Alex | url = {{Allmusic|class=album|id=blood-r1552931/review|pure_url=yes}} | title = Blood | work = Allmusic | access-date = July 15, 2010 }}{{cite web|last=Dodge |first=Marty |url=http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-reviews-white-lion-moody-blues/page-2/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130414103859/http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-reviews-white-lion-moody-blues/page-2/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2013 |title=Music Reviews: White Lion, Moody Blues, Hardline, OSI, Joe Lynn Turner – Page 2 |work=Blogcritics |date=May 22, 2009 |access-date=July 15, 2010 }} Andrew Reilly of Madeloud said that "with Blood the two have finally found the stylistic fusion their first two discs hinted at",{{cite web | last = Reilly | first = Andrew | url = http://www.madeloud.com/articles/reviews/osi-embloodem | title = OSI – Blood
=''Fire Make Thunder'' (2010–2012)=
In 2010, OSI signed with Metal Blade Records.{{cite web | url = http://www.metalblade.com/news/05-13-10-02.html | title = OSI signed with Metal Blade Records! | work = Metal Blade Records | date = May 13, 2010 | access-date = September 6, 2010 }} The label reissued Office of Strategic Influence on September 28, 2010.{{cite web | url = http://www.metalblade.com/news/08-24-10-02.html | title = Metal Blade Records set to release OSI's 2003 release OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INFLUENCE this September! | work = Metal Blade Records | date = August 24, 2010 | access-date = September 6, 2010 }}
Written and recorded throughout most of 2011, OSI's fourth album "Fire Make Thunder" was released on March 27, 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://metalblade.com/osi/|title=OSI | Fire Make Thunder|website=Metalblade.com|access-date=March 25, 2020}} Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree was once again enlisted as session drummer along with a co-writing credit for the song "Enemy Prayer". All other instruments and programming were performed by Matheos and Moore, while lyrics and vocals were handled exclusively by Moore. The recordings for the album, with the exception of drums, were performed at the musician's respective home studio. In July 2011 at Sound Farm Studio & Recording Environment final overdubs as well as some additional writing and arranging were completed. The band mixed the album alongside engineer Matt Sepanic. Engineer Roger Siebel handled the final mastering. The record was produced by both Moore and Matheos.{{cite web|author=Aniruddh Bansal |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-dream-theater-keyboardist-kevin-moore-discusses-new-osi-album-in-audio-interview/ |title=Former DREAM THEATER Keyboardist KEVIN MOORE Discusses New OSI Album In Audio Interview
|website=Blabbermouth.net |date=February 16, 2012 |access-date=March 21, 2016}} During the development process, Kevin Moore kept frequent updates referring to the mixing process of the album on his official Facebook and Twitter accounts.{{cite web | url = http://www.chromakey.com/news/2011/3/20/new-facebook-page-and-twitter-feed.html | title = New Facebook page and Twitter feed | work = Shine by Kevin Moore Official Website - News | date = March 20, 2011 | access-date = July 26, 2011 }}
=Hiatus (2013–present)=
On the current status of O.S.I., co-founder and lead guitarist Jim Matheos offered the following quote in a June 2016 interview about the possibility of a future album, "No, as I just said it's the same situation with John. Kevin and I are both busy doing other things. I believe Kevin is experimenting and working on some Chroma Key material right now, so who knows… In the future I would love to do it and if it happens that's great, but there are no plans right now. My main focus for at least the rest of this year and probably next year is going to be Fates Warning."{{cite web | url = http://noisefull.com/interviews/fates-warning-jim-matheos-0 | title = Fates Warning (Jim Matheos) | work = Interview by Chris Karadimitris and Nikos Katapidis - News | date = June 15, 2016 | access-date = January 20, 2018 }}
Musical style
Moore has described OSI's sound as "a new approach to progressive rock",{{cite web | last = Yoni | url = http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=704 | title = Interview with Kevin Moore – OSI | work = RevelationZ Magazine | access-date = January 19, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081120151625/http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=704 | archive-date = November 20, 2008 }} combining elements of progressive metal and electronica. Moore considers the two genres to be "almost natural enemies", and that the conflict between the two genres "keeps [the music] interesting". Matheos cites progressive rock and heavy metal bands such as Genesis, Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath and UFO as influences. Moore described his influences as minimal techno, experimental, electronic musicians and "bands that play live and then chop it up".
Matheos and Moore primarily work alone, exchanging files and ideas by email. The writing process for all OSI's albums has been the same, with Matheos sending Moore an idea "from just a guitar riff to elaborate, almost completed songs", which Moore then edits and sends back to Matheos. Moore, the band's vocalist and lyricist, has described the process of writing lyrics as an "audio Rorschach test". The lyrics on Office of Strategic Influence feature political themes, but the lyrics on later releases are less political, instead being based on Moore's personal experiences. "I'll start writing a song that has a little bit of a world view or political view or something," he said, "but then by the time I'm finished the lyrics it'll be about a relationship or something like that." On Blood, Moore largely abandoned his earlier stream-of-consciousness approach to writing lyrics, in an attempt to make the lyrics more coherent. "I didn't want it to be like 'Oh, you get your own impression of the lyrics. Everybody has their own idea!' I wanted to have an idea that I wanted to communicate, and something communicable," he explained.{{cite web|last=Reilly |first=Andrew |url=http://www.madeloud.com/articles/interviews/madeloud-interview-jim-matheos-and-kevin-moore-osi |title=MadeLoud Interview: Jim Matheos and Kevin Moore of OSI |work=MadeLoud |date=May 19, 2009 |access-date=April 15, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824152435/http://www.madeloud.com/articles/interviews/madeloud-interview-jim-matheos-and-kevin-moore-osi |archive-date=August 24, 2010 }}
Moore has acknowledged the narrow range of his vocals. He considers his vocal style to "[come] from how I feel when I'm singing, when I'm in the zone of writing lyrics and recording which, a lot of times, comes as the same time. It's sort of an introspective time. A lot of the material lends itself to that kind of voice and that kind of spirit."
Members
{{multiple image | align = center
| total_width = 800
| footer = Jim Matheos, Kevin Moore, and former member Mike Portnoy
| image1 = Jim Matheos (Fates Warning)2.jpg
| image2 = Kevinmoore.jpg
| image3 = Mike Portnoy (2010) (cropped).jpg
}}
;Current members
- Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) – guitars, bass (since Blood), keyboards, programming
- Kevin Moore (Chroma Key, ex-Dream Theater) – vocals, keyboards, programming
;Former members
- Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) – drums on Office of Strategic Influence as a full band member and on Free as a session musician
;Guest musicians
- Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) – drums on Blood and Fire Make Thunder
- Sean Malone (Gordian Knot, Cynic) – bass, Chapman Stick on Office of Strategic Influence
- Joey Vera (Fates Warning) – bass on Free
- Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) – vocals on the track "shutDOWN" on Office of Strategic Influence
- Tim Bowness (No-Man) – vocals on the track "No Celebrations" on Blood
- Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) – vocals on the track "Stockholm" on Blood
Discography
=Studio albums=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.osiband.com OSI official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812091137/http://www.osiband.com/ |date=August 12, 2020 }}
- [http://www.burningshed.com/artists/store.asp?name=osi The official online OSI shop] at Burning Shed
- [https://twitter.com/osi_band OSI official Twitter page]
{{OSI (band)}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American progressive rock groups
Category:American progressive metal musical groups
Category:American heavy metal supergroups
Category:Musical groups established in 2002
Category:2002 establishments in the United States
Category:Metal Blade Records artists